Can I use royal jelly from the health food store for priming cell cups?

If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Can I use royal jelly from the health food store for priming cell cups?

Hello all,
I found some organic royal jelly at the health food store, and I'm wondering if I can use it for priming queen cell cups before grafting. It is not quite pure, meaning has some other ingredient, but it is still totally organic. Should I, or should I not? Input, anyone? Thanks in advance.

Re: Can I use royal jelly from the health food store for priming cell cups?

I would suggest gathering a few cells that are still full of jelly on day 6 when they cap cells. Just pull out a few of your smallest ones. I store the jelly in a little veil in the fridge so I have it if I need it. One cell full of jelly goes a long ways.

Re: Can I use royal jelly from the health food store for priming cell cups?

Glorybee has royal jelly fit for bee consumption. It is a bit high on shipping because it has to go express. There are actually two types of royal jelly based on the glands in the head of the nurse bee used. Queen royal jelly is yellower than worker royal jelly

Re: Can I use royal jelly from the health food store for priming cell cups?

I don't think you would actually lie to me, I was just incredulous. I need something to keep the grafts hydrated for 10 minutes during transit, and if that'll work, I'll use it. I just wanted to make sure it works. Sorry if I made you feel bad, Michael and Broodhead.

Re: Can I use royal jelly from the health food store for priming cell cups?

when you are working your bees and find Queen cells collect a few and save them i will wrap a wet paper shop towel around them and put them in the freezer for later use.

once i get grafting started i will go to a cell builder with a 3 day graft and take one out and use it, its fresh. Some times i graft and take them to a different mating yard with a cell builder in the yard 20 minutes away it works great.

Re: Can I use royal jelly from the health food store for priming cell cups?

Well, I found out this morning that one of my hives is queenless, and they have 19 active uncapped queen cells now. I went into the hive, found the best looking 5 cells, saved them, and scooped all the royal jelly out of the other 14 cells. Can I use this for priming? If so, how can I store it, fridge/freezer?
Also, I had been using the chinese grafting tool, but the tongue kept and creasing, bending, and folding. Is there a solution to this? This was why I quit using it after the first 10 or so grafts.

Re: Can I use royal jelly from the health food store for priming cell cups?

The only reason I like to prime is I have a hard time getting the larva gently off the Chinese tool. I can scoop them up just fine, but if I get them just on the tip of the tool, there is little royal jelly. A little moisture in the JZBZ cup and larva on the tip of the tool is easier for me. Small paint brush works well too, but won't get much jelly.
I've Been harvesting the jelly in the wild queen cells removed my cell starter with a straw cut on one end like a spoon. Scoop it out and squeeze into a tiny syringe I keep in my pocket. A very small needle and the tiniest drop in the cell cup is all I need to make the job easier.